Apple CarPlay ready to hit the road (pictures)

Apple CarPlay

Behold Apple's new CarPlay -- the integration of iPhone functions into an automobile dashboard. On March 3, Apple unveiled CarPlay (known previously as iOS in the Car) as a new way to let drivers "use their iPhone in the car with minimized distraction."

CarPlay will be available as an update to iOS 7. But as CNET's Tim Stevens points out, cars themselves won't be running iOS; instead, they'll be receiving a signal from the handsets -- the iPhone 5, 5C, and 5S -- when they're connected to the car via Lightning cable. Drivers will be able to use CarPlay either with fingers on the touch screen or by speaking out loud to the Siri software.

Maps a la CarPlay

Apple says that CarPlay's Maps feature will offer up routing instructions, traffic conditions, and ETA, and will even try to anticipate your destination based on recent trips via contacts, e-mails, or texts. As with the iPhone itself, Siri can provide turn-by-turn directions.

CarPlay will be available in "select cars" shipping in 2014, according to Apple, from automakers Ferrari, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo. At this week's Geneva Motor Show, we'll all get a look at some CarPlay-equipped models from Ferrari, Mercedes, and Volvo.